For those of us who can’t remember the 1960s because we were there, but can remember the 1990s, we will never forget those adverts which told us that CDs would last forever.
We soon realised that they would not survive if we scratched them but it turns out that even if we kept the CD’s in pristine condition they were dying like Roger Waters playing a gig in Tel Aviv.
CDs are rotting away, especially those stored in boxes which increase the relative humidity and temperature.
What is a little worrying is that there is shedloads of data which was stored on compact discs around the world when it was seen as being future proofed.
There are two types of ways that CDs can die. There is "CD rot" and a "bronzing" process that occurs when a disc's coating rubs off and the silver beneath begins to tarnish.